This blog is for Polk County Florida small farms and pesticide applicators as a method of communication and sharing information. This blog is administered by the University of Florida IFAS Extension Polk County Extension Agent, Mary Beth Henry.

The Department continuously strives for accurate and scientifically defensible assessments with the goal of identifying impaired waters and restoring water quality. These lists were revised to make necessary changes in response to additional information provided to and evaluated by the Department. The amended lists can be found at the links provided above and include the Office of General Counsel case numbers for the listings.

Below is the FAW notice for the announcement published on February 5, 2014.

Notice of Entry of Final Orders Revising Verified Lists of Impaired Waters and Delisting of Waters

Notice of Entry of Final Order Revising Verified List of Impaired Waters

The Department of Environmental Protection gives notice that, pursuant to Section 403.067(4), Florida Statutes (F.S.), and Chapter 62-303, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), a final order was entered on January 27, 2014, amending the impaired listing status of 64 water segments. These actions include amendments to the Verified List of impaired waters for waterbodies in the Group 3 Choctawhatchee - St. Andrews basin and Group 5 Indian River Lagoon, Springs Coast, and Upper East Coast basins; and the Delist List for waterbodies in the Group 1 Suwannee, Ocklawaha and Tampa Bay basins, Group 2 Middle St. Johns and Tampa Bay Tributaries basins, Group 3 Choctawhatchee - St. Andrews basin, and Group 5 Everglades basin.

These revisions/amendments will be submitted to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pursuant to Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act and shall serve to update the previously approved Section 303(d) list of Florida waters.

A person whose substantial interests are affected by this final order may petition for an administrative proceeding (hearing) under Section 120.569 and 120.57, F.S. The petition, which must contain the information identified in the full notice of rights language contained in the final order, must be filed (received by the clerk) in the Department’s Office of General Counsel, 3900 Commonwealth Boulevard, Mail Station #35, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000, within 21 days of publication of this notice or within 21 days of receipt of written notice, whichever occurs first.

A copy of the above-referenced final order may be obtained by contacting: Ms. Wanda Harpley, Department of Environmental Protection, 2600 Blair Stone Road, Watershed Assessment, MS #3525, Tallahassee, FL 32399-2400, by calling: (850) 245-8433 or from a link on the following webpage: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/watersheds/assessment/index.htm.